Violence within Serbia's Muslim Community in Sandzak

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 001392 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SR KV BK SUBJECT: Violence within Serbia's Muslim Community in Sandzak SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Serbia's non-Albanian Islamic community in the Sandzak, split along political and party lines, dramatically and repeatedly clashed in Novi Pazar, the week of October 1. The series of disturbances began with Belgrade's attempt to oust Serbia's chief Islamic religious leader, followed with brawling in a mosque, and culminated with an attack by a masked man at a television station. All of this occurred, perhaps coincidentally on the eve of the Ambassador's planned October 9 Iftar dinner in Novi Pazar, the capital of the Sandzak (septel). The conflict involves politics, economics, money, land and very little religion. And the story's not over yet with the new Belgrade-anointed Mufti due to participate in a public investiture ceremony on October 11. The Sandzak remains one of Serbia's multiple flashpoints, where political forces can and do cause violent confrontations at will. End Summary. Mufti Wars -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In a move allegedly orchestrated in Belgrade, approximately 20 imams from Serbia's Sandzak region on October 3 elected Imam Adem Zilkic their chief religious leader, or Reis. The election ousted Serbia's Chief Mufti, Muamer Zukorlic, who was out of the country at the time. The election also challenged the authority of the traditional head of the Islamic community in the former Yugoslavia, Sarajevo-based Reis-ul-Ulema Mustafa Ef. Ceric. Whereas the rift was an obvious Belgrade orchestration, it more closely reflects the rift between Sandzak's dominant political figures and parties, the Sarajevo-based Democratic Action Party (SDA),headed by Novi Pazar Mayor Suleyman Ugljanin and its now hostile off-shoot, the Sandzak Democratic Party, led by Minister of Social and Labor Affairs Rasim Ljajic. Parties Clash -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Zukorlic's followers publicly rejected the apparently fraudulent nature of the election and on October 6 incident, in the town of Prijepole, they attempted to oust local imams with ties to the Belgrade Muslim community. Police intervened, making several arrest and confiscating weapons. On October 6 police entered a mosque in Sjenica, near Novi Pazar, and using cattle prods, broke up a brawl that ensued when Zukorlic's supporters allegedly disrupted a service that a Zilkic imam had been officiating. On October 7, an armed, masked man entered two separate Novi Pazar TV stations during a broadcast of an interview with Zilkic. In one, he destroyed equipment and injured an employee before fleeing. The night of October 10, someone returned to the previously undamaged station and poured gasoline on the floor starting a fire that cut television broadcasts to Novi Pazar. Ahead, a planned public celebration of the new Mufti's investiture as Reis on October 11, could easily spark confrontation. ¶4. (SBU) Zukorlic, who continues to claim his title and authority, explained his version of the recent events to the Ambassador on October 9, on the eve of the Ambassador-hosted Iftar in Novi Pazar. He said he believed national security forces had orchestrated his removal. Sandzak imams, echoing their leader, told emboffs that they believed Serbia's security forces might have been involved and that Belgrade's Mufti Jusufspahic certainly was. ¶5. (SBU) The conflict is based on political lines, each faction aligning with a different home-grown political champion. Zukorlic's supporters line up behind Labor Minister Rasim Ljajic and Zilkic's line up behind Novi Pazar Mayor Sulejman Ugljanin. Ugljanin supports greater autonomy for the Sandzak region, yet maintains close ties with Belgrade cleric Jusufspahic. Ljajic's Sandzak Democratic Party (SDP) calls for greater participation of "Bosniaks" in Serbian institutions, democratization, and development of civil society. ¶6. (SBU) The fight is likely also about money and land. Sandzak's 140,000 Muslims represent over 60% of the local population. They are active in all aspects of Sandzak political, economic, academic, and business life, and the religious leader of this community yields significant power. Zukorlic, for example, is rector of a secular university and is involved in planning for the economic development of the region. The rijasat's (Islamic civic foundation under control of the reis) claim to potentially vast holdings of property, once Serbia undertakes restititution of communal property, also is very much at stake. Comment -------------- ¶7. (U) The Sandzak remains a flashpoint and a prize for warring political interests. Politicians and parties will continue to manipulate religion to position themselves as claimants to the vast lands and enterprises that once belonged to the Islamic community of Sandzak. As December 10 and its aftermath draw nearer, Sandzak BELGRADE 00001392 002 OF 002 remains at risk of being drawn into whatever violence may ensue. End Comment. BRUSH